The most important thing to think about is whether you feel like it’s right for you. If you’ve never gotten a rape kit before and want to know what to expect and how to get support, please give us a call 604 872 8212.

Some things to think about:

• If you do get a rape kit, it may give you some peace of mind that you’ve had a check up by a trained medical professional in response to sexual assault
• If you do get a rape kit, you are in control and you can decline to participate in any part of the process
• If you do get a rape kit, you can bring a friend, family member, or advocate with you to support you through the process

• Even if you do not get a rape kit, you can still get other medical attention now or at a later point
• Even if you do not get a rape kit, we believe you. You deserve to be believed, treated with respect, and supported.
• Even if you do not get a rape kit, you can get support from us, and from other women’s groups and community organizations
• Even if you do not get a rape kit, you can still report to the police*

Reporting to Police

If you think that you may want to report to police at some point, the physical evidence obtained through the forensic exam could be helpful for your case. It can help corroborate what happened. That being said, sometimes this evidence is useful, other times it is not. We have seen that in many cases of rape or sexual assault, the attacker will lie and say that it was consensual. In short, you can still report to the police even if you have not gotten a rape kit. If you would like any additional information about rape kits and reporting to police, please call 604 872 8212.

If you do get a forensic exam, it also doesn’t mean you have to report to police. If you aren’t sure whether you want to report to police now but think that you might want to in the future, you could get a rape kit and decide later whether to involve the police. Generally, the medical facility will store the forensic evidence for 1 year but they will let you know exactly how long. They may not store the evidence for as long as what’s needed for an investigation and trial, so if you do end up reporting to police, the police will then store the evidence after you sign a medical release consent form.

Other Considerations

• If you do want to move forward with getting a rape kit, the forensic exam must be completed within 7 days of the attack.
• The entire process often takes a minimum of 2-3 hours, sometimes longer. We recommend that you go on a day off or take the day off from work/school, if possible.
• You can have an advocate with you for support. Call us at 604 872 8212

If you want a guarantee that you will be only be seen by women medical professionals

The hospitals that offer the Sexual Assault Service (e.g., Vancouver General Hospital) have woman only teams who are trained to respond to medical needs comprehensively.

While hospitals that offer Forensic Nursing also can have woman only teams, you first have to go through triage and be seen by a general doctor, who could be male.

For more information on rape kits see here